DID you see a spectacular upside-down rainbow over York on Friday evening?

If so, you weren't the only one!

Two readers have sent us these pictures, capturing the beautiful phenomenon - properly known as a circumzenithal arc.

Eight-year-old Milo took this photo from his garden in Poppleton at 6.15pm.

York Press:

His mum emailed us the picture, and wrote: "There were two at once - truly rare! And he thought it was a huge smile in the sky."

 

Andy Gordon also captured the arc on camera, and sent us this photo, taken from near the New York Club in Blossom Street.

York Press:

 

So what is it?

Circumzenithal arcs, which look like upside-down rainbows, are created by sunlight refracting through horizontal ice crystals in a certain way.

They are, in fact, fairly common - but they are usually too high to be seen.

The Met Office website states: "They are commonly associated with cirrus clouds where ice crystals readily form.

"In order to be able to see a circumzenithal arc, a combination of atmospheric conditions must coincide just right. The height, depth and position of the ice clouds must be right as the cloud needs to be at a specific angle convex to the sun. The position of the observer is also important since its visibility can vary greatly over short distances. "